Marcello Trotta scored the only goal of the game in first half stoppage time and the O’s failed to capitalise on Bees’ defender James Tarkowski’s red card early in the second period.

Slade said: “It’s going to be tough. It’s a disappointed changing room but they’re a good group.

“I trust them, I believe in them. We’ll go out and fight for as many points as we can.

“It will be tough to lift them but that’s my job.”

Orient had the better of the first half chances before Trotta beat Eldin Jakupovic from the edge of the penalty area.

But Brentford defended manfully after Tarkowski’s sending off and held on for the three points which lifted them above their east London rivals.

Slade was frustrated that his team could not take advantage of some presentable chances in the first half but thinks Brentford’s resilience shows how difficult it can be to play against 10 men.

“I thought they were solid, and they looked a threat on the counter-attack. That’s all you could say about them really in the second period,” he said.

“I just thought we tried to get the ball from back to front a little bit too quickly rather than working the ball through the midfield.

“We did everything we possibly could, you wouldn’t possibly expect anything less of this group.”

Slade had a simple message for the capacity crowd at Brisbane Road.

Orient dropped to third and have played two games more than Wolves and Brentford.

But the manager said: “The supporters should keep going. It’s the same message as we’ll send out to the players – to keep going and keep that attitude and that focus and relentlessness that we’ve showed all season. It’s not over yet, this might not be our stop.

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